Productive efficiency and density and viscosity studies of biodiesels from vegetable oil mixtures
¹Federal Fluminense University, Agricultural and Environmental Engineering Department, 156 Rua Passos da Pátria 156, bloco D, sala 235, BR24210-240 Niterói, Brasil
²Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro, Engineering Department, Rodovia BR 465, Km 07, s/n Zona Rural, 23890-000, Seropédica, Brasil
*Correspondence: flaviocastro@id.uff.br
Abstract:
Currently in Brazil the minimum content of biodiesel in mixtures is 11% and, according to Brazilian laws, the goal is to reach 15% in volume in diesel fuel available for final consumers by 2023. Therefore, studies about different matrices of biodiesel and distinct mixtures are essential. The present work had two goals, the first one was to analyse physico-chemical properties of 16 biofuels produced from soybean and cotton oils, using S10 diesel, in mixtures B8, B10, B20 and B30. The second goal was to verify the vantages and disadvantages of biodiesel production through prior mixing of the oils, before and after the transesterification process. All biofuels produced presented results of specific mass values at 20 °C and kinematic viscosity at 40 °C within the limits established by ANP Resolution no 30/2016 and International Resolutions. The soybean B20 biofuel showed the best overall results, with the second highest production yield of 65.36%, the fifth lowest kinematic viscosity with 3.48 mm s-1. The mixture of soybean and cotton oils before the transesterification process presented the highest production yield when compared with the production from a single oil or biodiesel mixtures. The results found proved to be satisfactory and corroborate to continue with the increase of biodiesel in the mixture with diesel to B15 until 2023 and support the possibility of planning for a gradual increase of this mixture in the following years.
Key words:
biodiesel, mechanical performance, physical characterization, transesterification, yield